Summary

Vidya Sury shares a personal list of 20 everyday things that bring joy and smiles to her life, emphasizing the simple pleasures that uplift her spirits amidst daily challenges.

Abstract

In a heartfelt article dated September 1, 2022, Vidya Sury presents a list of 20 things that evoke happiness in her life, ranging from the vibrant attire and positivity of her garbage collector to the babble of her neighbor's child and the rare sight of her husband making coffee. Despite a recent bout of flu and the fear of missing out, she embraces the prompt to reflect on the delightful aspects of her life. These include moments of domestic bliss, such as discovering a new leaf on her spider plant or finding her kitchen shelf liner filled with scribbles. Her list extends to the digital realm with supportive comments from fellow writers and the wise, cute responses from a friend on WhatsApp. The article is a testament to the power of small joys, like home-delivered groceries, singing along to her playlist, and even the chaos of a flu-stricken household. Vidya's reflections culminate in an invitation to her readers to support underprivileged children through Ko-Fi and to subscribe to her motivational tip posts.

Opinions

Vidya expresses genuine appreciation for the garbage collector's cheerfulness and the neighbor's child's chatter, indicating a deep appreciation for the community around her.
She finds humor and amusement in the late-night conversations of teenagers outside her door, showing her lighthearted approach to life's quirky moments.
Vidya cherishes the intimate and personal moments with her family, such as her husband's humming and her son's eye-rolling yet tolerant attitude.
The author takes pleasure in the small victories of daily life, like a successful recipe or a well-organized kitchen.
She values the connections she has made in the writing community, as evidenced by her gratitude for comments from fellow writers and the conversations with her friend Nancy.
Vidya's enjoyment of her playlist and the recollection of her mother's jokes suggest that music and memories play a significant role in her emotional well-being.
Her mention of the flu affecting her household indicates a resilient spirit, finding reasons to smile even during challenging times.
The call to support underprivileged children and the invitation to subscribe to her motivational posts reveal her commitment to spreading positivity and making a difference in the lives of others.

1 September 2022

20 Things That Make Me Smile

Although, that list could go on and on, really!

I know I am late to the party, but I am down with the flu since last week. And I had all this FOMO washing over me as I saw the entries pouring in. I didn’t want to be left out.

So I will write, post, and eventually catch up with the others.

You didn’t really believe all that, did you? Hehe!

Still, never to resist a prompt — here I am!

20 things that make me smile

1. The sight of the lady who collects our garbage. She is always so brightly dressed, always smiling, and always has a kind word for me. She even gave me the award for best garbage. True story!

2. The babbling of my neighbor’s kid. Nonstop. Delightful!

3. Teenagers talking just outside my door at 1 am, giggling, whispering, then slowly talking louder. Why my door? Why not their own door right across the landing? Nobody knows. All I can say is I find it amusing. As I catch snippets (some rude people call it eavesdropping), I smile at the thought of their reaction if they knew I was listening.

4. Watching my husband making coffee and humming. A rare occurrence — the coffee making, not the humming.

5. A new leaf in my spider plant.

6. The sight of my naked baby buddhas.

7. Finding dried Champa flowers in my mom’s books. they’re still fragrant, like her memories.

8. A dish that turns out exactly the way I hoped for it.

9. A wonderful comment from a fellow writer.

10. Nancy’s cute (and usually wise) responses in our WhatsApp conversation.

11. Peering into my 24yo son’s ear when he sits next to me and his eye-rolling tolerant attitude that seems to say moms will be moms. What? I can’t help it.

12. Going to the kitchen to do some dishes and finding that half of it is already done.

13. A stack of freshly laundered clothes.

14. A cup of turmeric pepper green tea. Delicious.

15. Closer-to-target fasting blood sugar.

16. Home-delivered groceries.

17. Listening to my playlist and singing along, often careless about the lyrics.

18. The sight of the paper lining my kitchen shelf — I have scribbled on every available inch, sometimes around jars.

19. Recalling my mom’s jokes at odd times — especially when I am cooking — makes me burst into laughter, followed by tears.

20. the mess my house is in right now, with all of us down with the flu.

21. My BFF’s message, preceded by a long list of profanities.

Thank you ❤

Here are all the prompts for the 30-day Challenge at Refresh The Soul. Hop on, dabble and enjoy!

30-Day Writing Challenge

There’s nothing better than a challenge to get you motivated!

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Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles ❤ Did you smile today?

Help me support underprivileged children via Ko-Fi. Thank you so much! Subscribe to my daily motivational tip posts on Substack

One Hundred Things That Make Me Smile

Day 5: How a smile therapy list keeps me energized and stress-free

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